[damian2000]

I've tipped taxi drivers in Tokyo before and they're pretty appreciative, so maybe they just got used to foreign tourists tipping them and put up with it.

[kristofferR]

I've never heard about anyone tipping taxi drivers before, seems like a weird thing to do. Is that actually common in the US?

[ghshephard]

I could never convince my US colleagues that you don't have to tip taxi drivers in Singapore 20%. They were actually incapable of not tipping, so ingrained was the habit in the US.

[idiot900]

Very common. In NYC for example there is a social institution that taxi drivers are tipped.

[DominikR]

In Austria (Europe) this is common too.

[tormeh]

But not in Germany, though. In norway, tipping is something you only do at restaurants (not in taxis or other places).

[syntheticnature]

Interesting. I had a taxi driver in Hamburg bitch at me for the whole ride that Americans don't tip and why don't they tip?

So, that was the one taxi ride in Germany I took and didn't tip. (It was not the first taxi ride in Germany.)

[tormeh]

Maybe there's an east-west divide? My experience is with Berlin.

[syntheticnature]

Looking at a few sites this morning, it sounds like it's typical to round up to the next Euro in Germany, and that tipping more than 10% might be seen as offensive (unless of course you are hoping to get some extra from an American).

[staunch]

There's no truth to the idea that it is considered offensive in anyway.

[6t6t6]

People in Japan know that Americans do tip and they will not be so surprised. Specially if you look like a "gaijin" tourist.

Some will even consider it fun to be tipped for first time in their life, others will find it offensive and will think that you are looking down to them. But, in any case, tipping is a faux pas in Japan.

[staunch]

Have you ever actually experienced this or are you repeating the same myth? No one will be offended unless you're some kind of jerk about it.

"Do as the Romans do" is always the correct behavior, but in this case the potential for offense is entirely overblown.

[6t6t6]

I live in Japan and my wife is Japanese. Also, I had this conversation with several Japanese people.

I can tell you that most Japanese I know hate the concept of tipping and it makes them uncomfortable. They also hate giving tips. Not because of the money, but because they think that tipping is a way of looking down the other person.

Of course, when I say offensive I don't mean that they will curse and hate you forever. But probably some will think: "I already have a salary, I don't need you give me your coins".

If there's an scale of socially awkward situations, I guess tipping would be slightly under asking ketchup for your sashimi. But definitely not as bad as going into someone's house with your shoes on.

[josteink]

I don't know. Before I was made aware of this, I tried tipping while in Japan. Several places people were very dismissive about it. Eventually I just stopped, because it seemed like people didn't want tips.

[staunch]

It's correct to say that in Japan one should not tip. It's not correct to say that it's considered offensive.

To seriously offend some Japanese people you'll have to do something crazy like stick your chopsticks straight up in your rice bowl. Then you'll see them really wince ;-)